How Nfl Players Keep Busy In Off-season Ask Abe

Ever wonder what professional football players do in the off-season? The NFL figured you might.

- LeRoy Irwin of the Los Angeles Rams works as a gas station attendant - at his own gas station.

- Atlanta linebacker Reggie Wilkes co-owns - with the Philadelphia 76er Maurice Cheeks - a Leaseway Auto Leasing Co. in Philadelphia and is working on his master's degree in business administration at the University of Pennsylvania.

- Keith Van Horn, a tackle for the Chicago Bears, serves as an overnight and weekend disc jockey on WCKG-FM, a rock station in the Windy City.

- Tackle Ken Reeves, also of Philly, helps his father with a community outreach service in their hometown of Pittsburg, Tex. The organization distributes clothing, furniture and money to needy residents.

- Reggie White, another Eagle, is an ordained Baptist minister who preaches in more than 100 churches of various dominations in and around Memphis.

- St. Louis quarterback Rick McIvor owns a predator control company that removes bobcats, coyotes and mountain lions from ranches near Fort Davis, Tex.

- Milt McColl, a linebacker for San Francisco, is completing his final year of internship at the Stanford Medical Center. He plans to enter family practice.

- Jeff Davis of Tampa Bay is president of UniGlobe Travel in Tampa.

- Wide receiver Art Monk and tight end Rick Walker of the Washington Redskins are vice presidents of The Record Den home entertainment stores in Northern Virginia.

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Dear Abe: Has a District 11 team ever won a state baseball title?

Walt Dreyfoss, Allentown

Abe first rung up Liberty skipper Harry Dudeck, who was willing to bet that no localentry had ever won a PIAA state baseball crown. He knew of local American Legion champs, but wasn't 100 percent sure about a scholastic title.

He suggested I call the professor - former Liberty coach Bernie Fritz.

Bernie was sure. In the 10-or-so years that the PIAA has held state playoffs, no District 11 team has ever won a crown. The long-time Liberty coach figured that third-place finishes by Whitehall and Salisbury are the best the locals have done.

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Dear Abe, I have noticed a black ribbon on the left sleeve of the Yankees uniform. Could you tell me who it is in memory of?

Charlie Saeger, Macungie

The black armbands were worn last season in memory of Pete Sheehy. Sheehy was the Yanks' longtime clubhouse manager who started with the New Yorkers during the Babe Ruth era.

The story goes that the teen-age Sheehy was hanging around outside the locker room one afternoon and got into the game free for helping lug some equipment. The stadium clubhouse is named for the 50-year veteran.

Upon the death of Roger Maris, the Yankees decided to continue to wear the bunting.

Dear Abe, One of your readers asked about the Chicago White Sox and the games played in Milwaukee Stadium. The Chisox were not the first team to use a second stadium as a home field.

The Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956 and 1957 played at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City. The move was a ploy against New York City. The Dodgers claimed they would move to Jersey City if a new stadium was not built for their use.

New York City didn't budge, but Los Angeles invited the Trolley Dodgers to visit sunny California. And, you know the rest.

I enjoy reading items like the above in your column and thought I'd share this with you.